Top 6 Best Low-code Platforms in 2023

Gartner predicts that Low-code development technologies will reach $26.9 billion in 2023. We have heard of Low-code technologies for a long time, but they are now gearing up and becoming a part of this fast-paced digital world.

So, let's see precisely what Low-code development is, how to use Low-code platforms, and discover its benefits for organizations seeking to streamline their app development processes.

What is Low-code Development?

A Low-code platform allows you to build apps and software without programming knowledge. It uses visual interfaces and pre-built components, making building apps easier for people without extensive coding knowledge. With low-code platforms, you can drag and drop elements and use templates to speed up the process. It's a faster and more accessible approach to app development, allowing businesses to create applications quickly and efficiently, even if they don't have a team of expert coders.

Benefits of Low-code Development

• Faster Innovation: Professionals can turn their ideas into apps without learning to program.
• Higher Productivity: You or your team can build apps with low code apps within a day or two. This might be impossible to achieve when coding from scratch.
• Decreased Cost: Reduces the need to hire more developers. This means more apps on small budgets.
• Faster Transformation: With Low-code, change comes quickly. You can easily add features or even build an entire app from scratch to meet new demands. This is not possible to achieve with coding from scratch.

Now that you know what low-code platforms are, let’s see the leading ones.

6 Best Low-code Platforms

1. Appian

Best for: Developing enterprise-grade applications with stunning UI

Appian is one of the early birds in Low-code development and is known for its first visual Low-code apps. It's highly scalable, hence suitable for enterprise-grade development. One of the striking features is process modeling, which lets professionals visualize complex business processes and identify potholes. Another key feature includes real-time analytics that enables you to track key performance indicators to make a strategic decision.

2. Salesforce Lightning

Best For Salesforce Lightning platform is designed for enterprise scalability and supports large-scale deployments.

A leader in Low-code development, Salesforce Lightning enables IT teams and businesses to leverage low-code build and save 25% of developer's time. The AI-powered platform offers several AI tools to spot trends and visualize KPIs. The platform has witnessed 545% growth from 2013 to 2018 thanks to its robust features like intelligent recommendation and its ability to build CI/CD pipelines.

3. Zohocreator

Best For Zoho is highly affordable and best for small-sized businesses looking to get started with low code development without significant investment.

Zoho Creator is today's leading Low-code platform, with 6 million users and over 7 million Low-code apps. With its extensive capacities, you can quickly build a mobile app, integrate with other Zoho apps, and build business processes and intelligence.

Gartner also rated it Magic Quadrant™ for Enterprise Low-code Application Platforms, 2023. Users can define complex business rules, automate repetitive tasks, and streamline processes without extensive coding—seamless integration with other Zoho applications, such as Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, and Zoho Analytics.

4. Quickbase

Best for: Non-technical business users who need a simple interface.

Quickbase is a simple, affordable, Low-code platform designed to help create essential apps. All the Quickbase apps are speedy. It also has one of the best integration fronts than other Low-code apps and can easily integrate with industry-leading CRM and enterprise resource planning software. It enables high workflow automation capacity without coding or app scripting. Quick Base Exchange marketplace provides 100s of free apps to download. Users can use templates to customize the apps.

5. Caspio

Best for Businesses looking for an entire Low-code app development ecosystem.

Caspio is an all-in-one Low-code development platform that allows citizen developers to build custom apps with little to no coding. This platform is simple yet powerful, as it hosts all your databases, user authentication, web deployments, and actions. It guides you through the entire interface, whether importing data or deploying an app online. Caspio stores all your data with pre-built components to shorten development time.

6. Microsoft PowerApps

Best For If you use Microsoft apps daily, it's a must-have tool.

Microsoft is a household name today, with MS Word and MS Excel finding a daily place in our schedule. Microsoft Power Apps, on the other hand, brings a powerful Low-code tool set to the table to help you build AI-powered Low-code apps in less money and time. Its integration with other Microsoft apps like Power BI and Microsoft 365 differentiates it.

FAQs:

Who Can Benefit from Using Low-code Platforms?

Professionals like business analysts, non-technical domain experts, and managers can benefit from Low-code platforms as they can develop simple app prototypes with much coding.

What Kind of Applications can be Built Using Low-code Platforms?

Business applications that can be created using Low-code platforms are:

• Customer relationship management system
• Workflow automation
• Data dashboards and reporting tools
• Simple mobile apps
• Internal tools

Are There Any Disadvantages to Using Low-code Platforms?

Low-code platforms have one major disadvantage - low customization capabilities. It takes much work to get a high level of customization with programming.

Final Thoughts

Low-code platforms have revolutionized the software and app development landscape. By abstracting complex coding processes, these platforms enable developers of varying skill levels to create applications with incredible speed and efficiency. Low-code media empower businesses to quickly adapt to changing market demands, iterate on ideas, and deliver solutions to end-users faster. Low-code platforms' visual, drag-and-drop interface enables companies to simplify the development process and reduce reliance on traditional coding methods. With their ability to speed up development cycles and foster collaboration between technical and non-technical stakeholders, Low-code platforms are poised to play a pivotal role in the future of software and app development.

Does this mean that Low-code platforms will outdo traditional programming? Not at all. Low-code development has the potential to streamline and accelerate the software development process, but it is likely only partially to surpass traditional software development entirely. While Low-code platforms offer efficiency and accessibility, specific complex and custom projects may still require the expertise and flexibility of conventional software development approaches. Both approaches have their merits, and the choice between Low-code and traditional development depends on the specific requirements and complexity of the project at hand.